Brakes are shot at 40,000 miles
#11
12-15-2015 | 04:31 PM
Champion
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,497
Likes: 1
From: MN
Aren't the factory pads ceramic? I know the thermoquiet pads I use are. My understanding of the ceramics has always been that they don't work as well cold, but are superior when they get heated up.
Last edited by oldjeep; 12-15-2015 at 04:38 PM.
#12
12-15-2015 | 06:10 PM
Record Breaker
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,400
Likes: 5
From: San Pedro, California
I don't know about the OEM pads but when I ordered OEM quality pads for my truck, they quoted me semi metallic. There are some Hybrid pads that are ceramic with semi metallic fibers mixed in.
Here is a partial quote from "Autoanything.com"
Braking is a Compromise
Back to the question at hand - semi-metallic vs. ceramic brake pads. As said before, there is no single brake pad that can reign supreme in every single situation. If you want clean, quiet stops, you’ll pay for it in braking performance. If you want massive amounts of brake bite under extreme temperatures, you’ll be cleaning your wheels every few days. That’s just the way it works in the world of brakes. Ceramic pads offer quieter stops, cleaner wheels, and generally longer pad life due to their harder composition. The downsides include less cold bite, rendering them less effective in cold weather or before the brakes are up to temperature. In addition, they typically have a lower coefficient of friction than their semi-metallic counterparts (the higher the coefficient of friction, the better a brake pad will stop your vehicle). Ceramic pads were never designed to be extreme performance or racing brake pads. The ceramic material is also a less-effective heat sink than their metallic equivalents - instead they act almost like an insulator. The less heat the pad is able to absorb, the more the heat is retained in the brake rotor and surrounding components, which can lead to increased temperatures of the entire brake system.
Here is a partial quote from "Autoanything.com"
Braking is a Compromise
Back to the question at hand - semi-metallic vs. ceramic brake pads. As said before, there is no single brake pad that can reign supreme in every single situation. If you want clean, quiet stops, you’ll pay for it in braking performance. If you want massive amounts of brake bite under extreme temperatures, you’ll be cleaning your wheels every few days. That’s just the way it works in the world of brakes. Ceramic pads offer quieter stops, cleaner wheels, and generally longer pad life due to their harder composition. The downsides include less cold bite, rendering them less effective in cold weather or before the brakes are up to temperature. In addition, they typically have a lower coefficient of friction than their semi-metallic counterparts (the higher the coefficient of friction, the better a brake pad will stop your vehicle). Ceramic pads were never designed to be extreme performance or racing brake pads. The ceramic material is also a less-effective heat sink than their metallic equivalents - instead they act almost like an insulator. The less heat the pad is able to absorb, the more the heat is retained in the brake rotor and surrounding components, which can lead to increased temperatures of the entire brake system.
#13
12-15-2015 | 06:14 PM
Record Breaker
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,400
Likes: 5
From: San Pedro, California
another quote from brake performance.com
http://brakeperformance.com/Ceramic-...allic-pads.php
Just like how the style of brake rotors matter depending on the driving style and type of vehicle it’s going on, the brake pads are equally as important. Because everyone’s situation is different, we aim to educate our customers so that they can make a choice that suits them.
Ceramic brake pads produce less brake dust compared to semi-metallic brake pads, and while ceramic brake pads are great for smaller cars, they can be noisy on heavy cars and trucks.
Semi-Metallic brake pads have better temperature fade resistance and a higher level of friction than ceramic brake pads. Semi-Metallic brake pads have the best stopping power in all weather conditions and are perfect for all light, medium and heavy duty Cars, Trucks, and SUV's.
http://brakeperformance.com/Ceramic-...allic-pads.php
Just like how the style of brake rotors matter depending on the driving style and type of vehicle it’s going on, the brake pads are equally as important. Because everyone’s situation is different, we aim to educate our customers so that they can make a choice that suits them.
Ceramic brake pads produce less brake dust compared to semi-metallic brake pads, and while ceramic brake pads are great for smaller cars, they can be noisy on heavy cars and trucks.
Semi-Metallic brake pads have better temperature fade resistance and a higher level of friction than ceramic brake pads. Semi-Metallic brake pads have the best stopping power in all weather conditions and are perfect for all light, medium and heavy duty Cars, Trucks, and SUV's.
#16
12-22-2015 | 02:37 AM
Professional
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 143
Likes: 3
From: Great White North
Ditto - installed ceramic pads once upon a time. That was the first and last time. They're overkill for a daily driver and do not provide the same bite as a good SM pad. Washing the wheels is not a big deal.